"The Wish-Granting Engine is broken?" Leonardo couldn’t believe his ears.
Mutely, Chuubo nodded.
Leonardo frowned. At another time, he’d have crowed and claimed for all to hear that this was the proof that his own Nightmare Science was superior by far! At no point had his glorious inventions ever done anything so mundane as to stop working.
But this… That Chuubo’s machine stopped working after Chuubo’s heart had been tampered with by Death, he, the Headmaster of Bleak Academy himself, and Leonardo’s former mentor, filled Leonardo with a sense of… frustration. Dread?... Frustration! And after Chuubo’s daring rescue by Leonardo (cameoing Chuubo’s friends, amongst whom Leonardo definitely shouldn’t be counted), too.
Chuubo, Leonardo couldn’t help but notice, looked crestfallen. His chin dipped on his chest as though he’d just learned his favorite tayiaki flavor was being discontinued. By making Chuubo unable to call upon that silly toy, the Wish-Granting Engine, the Headmaster had struck Chuubo worse than Leonardo had ever been able to.
This would not do, Leonardo decided.
"Fear not!" Leonardo declared. "I, me, I, the great Leonardo de Montreal, will see that your children's toy works just as well as it ever did – no, even better! The Wish-Granting Engine will be fixed to the utmost of my capacity and its powers will surpass everything you ever dreamed !"
Surprisingly, Chuubo failed to gape in adoration at Leonardo’s selflessness. (He wasn’t being selfless, he reminded himself: he wanted the Engine to work so he could prove to Chuubo his own Nightmare inventions were better. If Chuubo wasn’t impressed, it just went to show he was a little less dumb than he was back when Leonardo was his friend. This was a good thing, Leonardo told himself firmly.)
"…I don’t thiiiiink Nightmare Science should be used on the Wish-Granting Engine," Chuubo said.
Leonardo scoffed. "Obviously you misunderstand the full range of my genius."
Chuubo’s eyebrows rose, and if Chuubo acting ironical wasn’t a serious sign that up was down and they were careening off the rails and into seriously uncharted territory, Leonardo didn’t know what would be. For the sake of his sanity (dignity ?) he ignored it.
"I’m going to fix it by hand, dumbass," he explained, "and you’re gonna help me, I don’t know how you fixed up your thingamajig in the first place."
Chuubo’s lips quirked, and Leonardo’s stomach did its usual flip-flopping of 'urgh when am I going to Show Chuubo up'. Down, stomach. We are going to fix the Wish-Granting Engine, and that’ll definitely show him this time!
"Thanks, Leo. That means a lot to me."
For some reason Leonardo’s cheeks picked this moment to go on fire - only metaphorically, but unpleasant enough.
Leonardo turned away, buysing himself with looking for Chuubo’s tools through the capharnaum that was his basement.
"Yeah, whatever. Just as long you don’t forget I'm the one who's your rival here," he grumbled.
Fill: Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine
Mutely, Chuubo nodded.
Leonardo frowned. At another time, he’d have crowed and claimed for all to hear that this was the proof that his own Nightmare Science was superior by far! At no point had his glorious inventions ever done anything so mundane as to stop working.
But this… That Chuubo’s machine stopped working after Chuubo’s heart had been tampered with by Death, he, the Headmaster of Bleak Academy himself, and Leonardo’s former mentor, filled Leonardo with a sense of… frustration. Dread?... Frustration! And after Chuubo’s daring rescue by Leonardo (cameoing Chuubo’s friends, amongst whom Leonardo definitely shouldn’t be counted), too.
Chuubo, Leonardo couldn’t help but notice, looked crestfallen. His chin dipped on his chest as though he’d just learned his favorite tayiaki flavor was being discontinued. By making Chuubo unable to call upon that silly toy, the Wish-Granting Engine, the Headmaster had struck Chuubo worse than Leonardo had ever been able to.
This would not do, Leonardo decided.
"Fear not!" Leonardo declared. "I, me, I, the great Leonardo de Montreal, will see that your children's toy works just as well as it ever did – no, even better! The Wish-Granting Engine will be fixed to the utmost of my capacity and its powers will surpass everything you ever dreamed !"
Surprisingly, Chuubo failed to gape in adoration at Leonardo’s selflessness. (He wasn’t being selfless, he reminded himself: he wanted the Engine to work so he could prove to Chuubo his own Nightmare inventions were better. If Chuubo wasn’t impressed, it just went to show he was a little less dumb than he was back when Leonardo was his friend. This was a good thing, Leonardo told himself firmly.)
"…I don’t thiiiiink Nightmare Science should be used on the Wish-Granting Engine," Chuubo said.
Leonardo scoffed. "Obviously you misunderstand the full range of my genius."
Chuubo’s eyebrows rose, and if Chuubo acting ironical wasn’t a serious sign that up was down and they were careening off the rails and into seriously uncharted territory, Leonardo didn’t know what would be. For the sake of his sanity (dignity ?) he ignored it.
"I’m going to fix it by hand, dumbass," he explained, "and you’re gonna help me, I don’t know how you fixed up your thingamajig in the first place."
Chuubo’s lips quirked, and Leonardo’s stomach did its usual flip-flopping of 'urgh when am I going to Show Chuubo up'. Down, stomach. We are going to fix the Wish-Granting Engine, and that’ll definitely show him this time!
"Thanks, Leo. That means a lot to me."
For some reason Leonardo’s cheeks picked this moment to go on fire - only metaphorically, but unpleasant enough.
Leonardo turned away, buysing himself with looking for Chuubo’s tools through the capharnaum that was his basement.
"Yeah, whatever. Just as long you don’t forget I'm the one who's your rival here," he grumbled.